Options
by Jargonelle
Summary: One shot: 'Yuan had assured him it was safe, but then again, Yuan had never seemed the most trustworthy of types and Zelos was careful not to take anything he said at face value.'


Options

by Jargonelle

Summary: 'Yuan had assured him it was safe, but then again, Yuan had never seemed the most trustworthy of types and Zelos was careful not to take anything he said at face value.'

Spoilers: This story contains spoilers up until the end of the game. You are advised not to read this prior to completing the game if you wish to avoid being spoiled. This story follows the game when Kratos is in the party at the end of the game and contains details of that specific ending.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia and am making no money from this.

…..

Yuan had assured him it was safe, but then again, Yuan had never seemed the most trustworthy of types and Zelos was careful not to take anything he said at face value.

He'd carried out his instructions though, lest the Renegades sought a reason to betray him. Not that he thought they would of course, their position being even more precarious than his own, but it was best not to take risks. The Renegades had a goal, a guiding instinct, a loyalty to a cause that Zelos might have envied if he had not witnessed first-hand the sacrifice and courage it entailed. It made them dangerous, but it also made their lives forfeit.

It would take something more than blindness not to see the same in Lloyd. Stupid, brilliant Lloyd who thought he could make a difference just because he was so damned determined to be right. Sometimes Zelos just wished that something would happen to him, something insurmountable, a problem more important than homework that he couldn't overcome, just to see what Lloyd would do if faith and friendship weren't enough. That was petty though, and bitchy, and in the end Zelos didn't think he meant it, even though the pettiness and bitchiness were what he thought the others expected of him.

So when words alone didn't work, he grabbed Lloyd, embraced him, feeling strangely cold stood next to Lloyd's fire and warmth. He flattered him, called him his best friend, seduced him into eating the banquet Tabatha had prepared, but that Zelos himself had arranged upon the table. The news of Colette's recovery was what had sealed it, but then again, that was something that Zelos would have bet serious gald on had he been given the chance.

They sat down together and were happy, supposedly safe in their forest haven. Even though the disguised Lord Yggdrasill was amongst them, his little fair head bobbing up and down earnestly in agreement as Raine talked, they were all glad to be there. Altessa had left them earlier, along with Tabatha, trying to spare Presea's feelings.

Zelos tried to keep tabs on who was eating what: Colette, only just well, was managing a bowl of the soup to which he probably should have paid more attention; Lloyd appeared to be eating anything within arms' reach; Regal and Presea were sat on the floor, a couple of plates between them, but Regal definitely looked like he was taking the majority of the food; Raine had turned her attention back to Genis, who was being uncharacteristically quiet, and Mithos wasn't eating anything other than that which Zelos had pointed out to him earlier.

With good reason, for most of the food was tainted with the drug Yuan had provided, though Zelos had sequestered a little less than half the bottle amongst his most personal belongings. The bread nearest to him was safe, as was the water he brought personally from Altessa's store was and the melons, his personal favourite fruit. Sheena just rolled her eyes at that, too tired to insult him further.

Noticing the sudden way exhaustion crashed down on Lloyd, Zelos was suddenly glad that he had kept back some of the drug for himself.

Raine convinced Genis to eat a little, but it didn't appear to relieve his depression at all and so they retired to bed, Raine still trying to coax Genis' hurt out of him.

Not wanting to be the left up with only Mithos for company, Zelos made his excuses and left just before Sheena and Regal all but collapsed.

…..

He'd heard most of what went on that night.

Lying flat on his back, afraid to even sit up in case one of the others came in and found it suspicious that he was awake but hadn't ran out to help at the first sign of trouble. Zelos told himself he was being sensible, after all, Lloyd and the rest were a competent bunch, they'd be fine without him. He didn't want them hurt, specifically, but he didn't think they would be. They weren't all that dumb. They must have realised that Mithos, little blond half-elf, and Mithos, ancient-fallen-hero-who-had-broken-his-vows-and-was-slightly-taller-blond-half-elf-turned-angel were the same guy, right?

It was the Renegades who stood to lose out, but from his best reckoning, they had already accomplished everything that could be done from the ground. It was Yuan, personally, who would suffer the most, but he'd been around over four thousand years, so Zelos was sure another little setback wouldn't faze him.

There were yells and thuds and an exclamation of 'How dare you betray my best friend?' from Lloyd that aggravated all the jealousy Zelos felt towards Genis into a vile taste in the back of his throat.

They could fight without him.

…..

He thought he would be pleased.

Kratos, Yuan, Mithos even, all exposed for who they really were, whilst little, overlooked Zelos was still playing all the sides off each other, but his options were now even more limited than ever: side with Cruxis, or side with Lloyd, and mostly likely perish in the process.

He would have sided with Lloyd, really would have done. Would have denounced any chance he had of losing his Chosen title without losing his life, would have sided with them, not because they were the stronger side, but because they were the side which needed to win.

However, Lloyd then turned to him, one day, on the Flanoir Bridge and told Zelos he didn't trust him.

It has the final, irrational straw.

But it was enough to tip the balance.

…..

Well, well, this was it. He'd never win against them.

If anything though, he was glad it was going to be Lloyd who'd take him down. He was glad to see Sheena one last time, fighting for something she believed in, glad to make one more sharp comment at Genis' expense, glad to see Raine and Presea living, breathing, flourishing.

If he was going to be the last of the Chosens to die in this damned place, he was going to go out in style.

After all, his wings did look seriously cool.

And there was definitely some comfort in that.

…..

THE END


End file.
